4 April 1882 in Manchester, Lancashire [registered in
Prestwich, October 1882].

Birthplace notes

Birthplace is undeniably Manchester, Lamming
states he was born in Kirkmanshulme, south east Manchester, but the census
returns suggest different opinions.... in 1881 the family were in Newton.
1891 simply states Manchester. 1901 states Patricroft, which is in Eccles,
west Manchester. To further complicate issues, Harold himself simply
states in the 1911 census that he was born in the Parish of Clayton, the
east of Manchester!

Census Notes

According to the 1891
census, Harold P. is the fourth of six children, to Charles Richard and
Elizabeth Wrench. His father is a solicitor, and they all live at 36 Dean
Street in Layton-with-Warbeck, Blackpool, with one servant.

According to the 1901
census, Harold P. is an articled clerk. He is one of five children, with
another younger brother since the previous census, still remaining with
their parents and a single servant still at 36 Dean Street. His father is
also still a solicitor.

According to the 1911
census, Harold Payne is married to Annie and they live at 18 Wilton Road
in Chorlton-cum-Hardy in Manchester. He is a solicitor.Harold P.,
on 27 June 1928, was the sole recipient of the GWR Shareholders will upon
the death of William Arthur Clare and Mary Ann Schofield.

The 1929 Kelly's Director conforms Hardman's Solicitor and
Commissioner for Oaths Office is at 2 Blue Boar Court (now under the
present day Arndale Centre), and he resides at 24 High Lane in
Chorlton-cum-Hardy. By 1947 however, he had moved to 6 Brown Street.According to Passenger Lists, a 78 year-old Harold, a Co-Director, is
accompanying Matthew Busby on the Queen Elizabeth, leaving Southampton on
5 May 1960 bound for New York. No address is stated.

Married

to Annie
Schofield, at 22 June 1910 in South Shore, Blackpool [registered in
Fylde, Lancashire, June 1910]. Living at 36 Dean Street in South
Shore. [Also registered in Cockermouth the year previously, September
1909].

Died

9 June 1965 at
4 Fownhope Road in Sale, aged
83 years 66 days[registered in Bucklow, June 1965]. Left £8243 to his widow,
Annie and also to Roderick Albert Davies, a fellow solictor.

Height/Weight

5'
6½", 9st.
13lbs [1907], 10st.
10lbs [1908].

Source

Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & FindMyPast.com

Club Career

Club(s)

Although born in Manchester, Hardman was brought up in Blackpool, and that
was where he played his schoolboy and junior football. He was playing for
the Northern Nomads FC before joining Blackpool FC in 1900.
After 71 league appearances and ten goals,
Everton FC poached Hardman in 1903, but instead of reporting the case to
the authorities, Everton agreed to pay the seaside club £50 and a
promise, should they need an emergency left-winger, Everton would provide
one. This was fulfilled when they signed
Marshall McEwan a year later. Hardman made 130 league
appearances and scored 25 goals, despite taking time off for
studies and practising law,before he joinedManchester United FC on 26 August 1908,
but only managed four league appearances, not able to break into
the first team. Transferred to Bradford City AFC on 15 January 1909,
scoring twice in twenty league outings. Joined Stoke FC on 4
February 1911, retiring in 1913 after 54 league
appearances and ten goals, but played for Stoke as a guest during
the war. Throughout, he was known to assist the Northern Nomads FC and
remained a leading amateur figure.

Club honours

FA Cup
winners 1905-06, runners-up 1906-07;

Individual honours

Football League (one appearance)

Distinctions

None

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English
Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

A solicitor by trade, admitted in
December 1907, practising in Manchester. Appointed a Manchester United FC
director in November 1912 until 1931, and again from 1934. He was chairman
from 1951 until his death. He was a member of the FA Council and was
treasurer of the Lancashire FA. He was awarded a long service medal in
1949 after 21 years in the post, he was also served as FA Chairman, as
well as Chairman of the Central League. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who.
Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.118.

Harold Hardman - Career Statistics

Squads

Apps

Comp.
Apps

Mins.

Goals

Goals
Av.min

Comp.
Goals

Capt.

Disc.

4

4

4

360

1

360
min

1

none

none

Due to the fact that
many matches rarely stuck to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time
for injuries, errors and substitutions. The minutes here
given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only
an approximation.